The members of the legendary and influential alternative rock band The Fluid have announced they will be performing select shows starting this January in Brooklyn & Hoboken, after reuniting to perform at Sub-Pop Records 20th Anniversary Festival in Seattle this past July...

...Due to timing and the band's associations with Sub-Pop and various acts of the Northwest underground scene-the group were early boosters of Nirvana, and the two acts even shared a split single in 1991-The Fluid has long been lumped in with the period's so-called grunge movement. But in actuality the outfit's unapologetically rock 'n' roll sound bypassed the shallower sludge metal and hardcore punk influences of its contemporary brethren, reaching deeper to hint at the classic styles of forbears like the New York Dolls, The Stooges, the MC5, the Rolling Stones, and the garage bands of the 1960s...

...The Fluid's upcoming shows at Hoboken's Maxwell's on January 16th [tickets], and Brooklyn's Music Hall of Williamsburg on January 17th [tickets] will bring together all five of the band's original members for one of the most rabidly anticipated musical reunions in years-and one that will give metro area fans the rare chance to once again experience firsthand the band's singular brand of timeless and powerful rock 'n' roll.

Another band associated with Nirvana, the Meat Puppets, were just here this past week and played the same two venues. Video of The Fluid performing at SP20 in July, below...

Continue reading "The Fluid - reunited & playing 2 NYC-area shows "

by BrooklynVegan Mike

"For me the most depressing, the worse thing, that has happened with Wolf Parade, is how the media pit me and Spencer against each other."

Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade) @ Terminal 5 (more by Kyle Reinford)

We first spoke with Dan Boeckner from Wolf Parade two years ago. He had just had a rough set and a kerfuffle with a mid-90s college act. Last year we caught up with him again - that time with Alexei Perry and we talked Handsome Furs. Another year has passed and the ever prolific Boeckner (and the rest of Wolf Parade) are back with a new record called At Mount Zoomer. We spoke with Dan AGAIN - this time after Wolf Parade's biggest Montreal (August 3rd) show to date (a show that was still smaller than the two NYC shows they played a few days earlier). We talked about the NYC shows, the record, the upcoming Furs record, Fine Young Cannibals, and those persistent Dan/Spencer rivalry questions.

--

Before we talk Wolf Parade, I just read online that there is already a title for the new Handsome Furs record?

Continue reading "another interview w/ Dan Boeckner of Wolf Parade and Handsome Furs"

photos by Shawn Brackbill

"Although the band never officially split there has been little Beachwood Sparks activity since 2002" [Wikipedia]

Beachwood Sparks @ SP20, Seattle, WA - July 13, 2008

As [Beachwood Sparks] explained in their timid hippie drawl, they weren't sure how this [Sub Pop 20th Anniversary Festival] show was going to go. But aside from a little flat harmonizing at the beginning, they sounded note-for-note like they had never broken up. With the sun shining, a little breeze blowing, and a great big sky overhead, their mix of hippie twang, Byrds-ish tremolo, and hazy dream pop, made it seem like they were serenading the elements like the nature fruitcups they are. They performed "You Take The Gold", "Confusion Is Nothing New", "Desert Skies" and "Silver Morning After". It was like a greatest hits review with no filler. The only other thing I could have asked to hear is their Band-like cover of Sade's "By Your Side". But when I heard they have a new album on the way, that filled me with more joy than any song I could have heard that night.

Then came the much-anticipated Green River reunion....
[Seattle Weekly]

Tickets are on sale for a September 13th Beachwood Sparks show at Bowery Ballroom in NYC, and for a show a day earlier at Maxwell's in Hoboken. More SP20 pics, videos, and all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Beachwood Sparks - SP20 pics, new album, 2008 Tour Dates"

words by Klaus Kinski, photos by Shawn Brackbill

Right off the bat, I want to bring something to your attention that's been making it's way around the internet recently. Back in June, comedian Patton Oswalt delivered a graduation speech at his old high school. Anyone familiar with Patton's comedy, his blogs, and his interests in life will realize rather quickly that, in addition to being one of the funniest people alive, Patton is a sharp, thoughtful individual. Anyhow, read the damn speech.

Another one of my favorite comedians is putting out an album. LA-based comedian Doug Benson will unleash his debut CD DOUG BENSON: PROFESSIONAL HUMOREDIAN on July 15th via AST Records.

Whether you know him from VH1's "Best Week Ever," NBC's "Last Comic Standing" or his documentary "Super High Me," chances are Doug Benson has made you laugh before. Now he will make you laugh again, repeatedly, with his first full-length solo comedy album, "Doug Benson: Professional Humoredian." Recorded live at the world-famous Hollywood Improv, "Professional Humoredian" catches Doug at his loosest, silliest and most hilarious. Playing to a rowdy sold-out house on 4/20, Doug tears through his set with wild abandon, delivering material on such wide-ranging topics as movies, politics, relationships, anti-drug campaigns and the miracle of modern science known as McGriddles. A perennial favorite among comedy aficionados, Doug placed sixth on Season Five of "Last Comic Standing" and was named "Stoner of the Year" by High Times Magazine in 2006. Patton Oswalt calls him "prolific ... a resin-scented miracle." One listen and you'll understand why Doug has won such acclaim: witty, charming, relentless and irrepressible, Doug Benson is a Professional Humoredian.

This CD is only 10 bucks and will be worth every penny. If you aren't familiar with Doug, I HIGHLY suggest attending The Doug Benson Interruption on August 7th at 9:30pm at the UCB Theater. The Interruption is for me the funnest, loosest comedy event on the planet. These shows ALWAYS sell out and feature line-ups so majestic and stupefying that many comedy fans fall to their knees and weep. Maybe you'll be able to buy the CD at the show.

As I write this, tickets are still available for all three Ricky Gervais shows happening at the WaMu Theater at MSG on July 14, 15, and 16. And I couldn't be more excited that Todd Barry will be the opener for the 15th and 16th shows. Todd had no problem winning over the sold out crowds at the Flight of the Conchords shows at Town Hall in May so I look forward to his domination of WaMu.

Speaking of Todd Barry, he and several other comedians were part of Sub Pop's 20th Anniversary Festival. The comedy portion of the Festival took place on Friday, July 11th The Moore Theatre and featured David Cross, Patton Oswalt, Kristen Schaal, and Eugene Mirman. I so with I was there. That's where the pictures in this post came from.

More pictures, news, vidoes and upcoming shows, below...

Continue reading "Klaus Kinski's Comedy Canon & comedy pics from SP20"

photos by Shawn Brackbill

It was the birthday present everybody wanted from the start. Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam and Mother Love Bone. Mudhoney's Mark Arm and Steve Turner. Mother Love Bone/Love Battery guitarist Bruce Fairweather. Drummer Alex Shumway. Every member of original grunge band Green River, joined together for the first time in two decades. [Billboard]

More pictures from their set at this past weekend's Sub Pop Festival, below...

Continue reading "Green River @ SP20, Seattle, WA - pics"

Michael Showalter & Janeane Garofalo @ Union Hall -July 2007 (Bryan Bruchman)

Last year David Cross, Janeane Garofalo and Land of Talk performed at Eugene Mirman and Michael Showalter's anniversary party. This year anything can happen. $10 tickets to the July 20th Union Hall show are on sale.

In related news, Tearing the Veil of Maya will return as a weekly show at Union Hall after Labor Day. Mike Birbiglia is playing Union Hall again this Tuesday (July 15), but not before performing at UCB on Monday. Dave Hill is playing the Union Hall party at the Brooklyn Bridge in August. Dave Hill is also performing at UCB on Thursday July 17th WITH Martha Plimpton and Lucy Wainwright Roche (who recently played Southpaw with Neko Case and Eugene Mirman and Michael Showalter).

ALSO: The Del Close Marathon is coming to UCB

RECENTLY: Michael Showalter performed at McCarren Pool

AND: Fleet Foxes are playing Union Hall in Park Slope tonight. The Vaselines are playing right down the street at Southpaw in Park Slope tonight. Both Fleet Foxes and The Vaselines are then heading to Seattle to play the Sub Pop Festival this weekend along with Park Slope's Eugene Mirman (and David Cross, Patton Oswalt, Todd Barry, Flight of the Conchords and Kristen Schaal) and No Age (who are playing South Street Seaport tomorrow) and Low (who are playing Union Hall in Park Slope on September 23rd).

The Vaselines were a indie rock band from Bellshill, Scotland. Formed in 1986, the band was originally made up of only Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee, but later added James Seenan and Eugene's brother Charlie Kelly on bass and drums respectively from the band Secession.[1] McKee had formerly been a member of a band named The Pretty Flowers with Duglas T. Stewart, Norman Blake and Sean Dickson.

Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain once described Kelly and McKee as his "most favorite songwriters in the whole world". [Wikipedia]

The Vaselines (first-ever US performance) (Saturday), Les Thugs (they're from France) (Sunday), and Eric's Trip (they broke up in '96) (Saturday) have been added to the Sub Pop 20th Anniversary Festival happening in (or maybe near) Seattle in July.

DeVotchka, Grand Ole Party, Thee Emergency, and Voyager One were added to the Capitol Hill Block Party - another two day festival happening in Seattle in July.

One day and two day tickets are on sale for the Sub Pop 20th Anniversary Festival happening in Washington in July. The whole lineip hasn't been announced yet, but what has is below....

Continue reading "'Sub Pop 20' - daily lineup breakdown & tickets on sale "

Sub Pop is now confirming a lot of the rumors and then some.....

Continue reading "Sub Pop Anniversary Festival - SP20 initial lineup announced"